Within the field of landscaping, it is often necessary to provide retaining walls for terraces. In particular, it is necessary to provide retaining wall material which supports a volume of soil to provide terracing for planting, prevention of erosion, aesthetic, or other landscaping purposes. Ideally, such landscaping wall material must combine the features of flexibility with strength. The flexibility permits installation and construction of the material so as to provide an undulating path for the terrace borders. However, it is necessary to provide a wall material for the terracing which will withstand the environmental punishment of intense sunshine, soil heating from frost, the pressure of a retained volume of soil, and other factors.
Various systems and structures exist for providing retaining walls of landscape terraces. Indeed, landscape terracing systems include wall members and stake members which are combined to support the terraced soil. Typically, the wall member may comprise an extruded plastic sheet material while the stake member is arranged for supporting the plastic sheet material and for pounding a portion of the stake into the soil proximate the area to be terraced.
Numerous problems exist in the known terracing systems. These problems include terracing material which becomes weak and which experiences structural breakdown from intense exposure to sunlight. Also, such sheet material may be constructed of such high strength plastic compositions that it becomes virtually non-compliant with respect to forming an aesthetically pleasing undulating path for the terrace. Known terracing sheet material is also prone to kinking and therefore cracking when arranged in a non-linear manner. Other problems with existing terrace systems include stakes which do not provide sufficient locking in the soil and therefore are rejected by frost heaves or other soil phenomenon; stakes which are often not ergonomically constructed thereby requiring double layers of terracing wall materials, extremely careful layout and arrangement for use; stakes which require extra care in handling, and other non-economic and non-user friendly considerations. Typically, such stakes may have components which are not efficiently arranged and therefore comprise excess weight during the shipping process. This weight consideration is also relevant to the terracing sheet materials which must also be constructed to accommodate the dual considerations of shipping weight and structural strength. What has been needed therefore has been a terracing system which comprises a strong yet efficiently constructed terracing sheet material and support member.
What has been further needed has been landscape terracing material comprising a body member having a lightweight yet durable construction with a positive lock anchor means comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs for locking and gripping terraced soil.
What has been even further needed has been a landscape terracing system having a terracing body member with anchor means comprising longitudinal ribs and efficient stake means for supporting the terracing body member in a desired landscape location without concern for degradation of the terracing due to frost heaves in the soil.
What has been yet even further needed has been a landscape terracing system constructed and arranged in a durable and undulating pattern of aesthetically pleasing construction, the terracing material comprising a stake means having a snap-fit receipt capability for receiving a body member in snap-fit connection around an upper most rib on the body member.
What has been even further needed has been a landscape terracing system comprising a landscape terracing body member constructed for efficient connection with an adjacent landscape terracing body member.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description which, in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses embodiments of the invention for purposes of illustration only and not for determination of the limits of the invention.